Stoneworking-machine.



H. H. MERCER. sToNEWomuNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.18.I909. Jl., Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8, 1909.

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Patented Apr. 10, 19W.

H. H. MERCER.

vSTVONEWORKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAH.'18.190 9.

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sToNEwoHKmG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I8. 1909.

1,222,552, Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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@FFFQE HENRY H. MERCER, 0F CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN? MENTS, TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

STONEWORKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Mb, 191i 7..

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. MERCER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Claremont, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented an improvement in Stoneworking- Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to stone-working machines, the purpose thereof being to increase the effectiveness of such machines.

YWhile this invention, as to many of its features, may be applied to stone working machines of various types and for various purposes, it is here illustrated as applied to a track channeling machine constructed not only for cutting the usual channel groove, but especially adapted for cornercutting, that is, the cutting ofthe channel groove into the acute angle or corner nnderlying the inclined side of a quarry wall.

In the specic embodiment of the invention the corner cutting is effected by so mounting the tool support that, while operatingas usual in the open part of the quarry it may be made to cut from. a fixed position of the machine under the overhanging sidewalls while the tool swings along the arc o-f a circle lengthwise the channel groove, delivering its blows perpendicularly to the bottom of the groove and thereby losing none of the effectiveness of its cutting stroke.

My invention, having as it does other objects both connected with and disconnected from the above-mentioned aim, will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specitic embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed outJ in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a front elevation of a channeling machine embodyingone form of my invention Fig. 2 is a section in plan on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section in plan on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1,:

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the ma chine shown in Fig. l with the standard and cutting appliances upright, such section being taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, in partial section, of the channeling machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the engine governor parts;

Fig. is a detail in sectional elevation taken through the engine throttle valve;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the governor regulating parts shown in Fig. G; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention there submitted for illustrative purposes; I have shown a stone working machine here in the form of a track channeling machine supported upon a carriage or frame work 1. The latter is provided at its opposite ends with two transverse shafts 2 carrying near the outer end of each a flanged wheel 3, which wheels track upon the rails 4, which latter are customarily laid upon the quarry bottom and along which the machine when cutting in the usual fashion is advanced.

The machine carries suitable tool reciprocating motive means which may be of any suitable form, but which is here shown as a compressed-air, direct-acting engine supplied with pressure fluid from a suitable source (not shown) and having the cylinder 5 with its coperating piston, to which latter is connected the piston rod 6 and the cross head 7. rFhe latter has clamped thereto a suitable tool or tools such as the gang 8 of three channeling tools, the cutting ends of the latter being given a reciproca-tory cutting movement toward and from the bottom of the channel groove with the reciprocations of the engine piston. The cross head 7 reciprocates within cross head guides 9 (Figs. 2 and 5), the latter being provided with gibs 10 which overlie the cross head and being rigidly connected to the cylinder 5 to form therewith a frame adjustable as a unit toward or from the work.

The sliding frame, which includes the tool-actuating engine, cross head guides together with the cross head and connected tools, is guided during its sliding movement upon a standard or intermediate supporting plate 11, which latter presents finished webs or guide ways 12 to receive the inner finished face of the frame, gibs 13 being secured to the frame, as by the clamping bolts shown in Fig. 2, to overlie the inner edges of the said webs and retain the sliding frame thereon.

rllhe standard or intermediate supporting plate 11 is secured by connections to a swinging frame or oscillatory support 14, which connections also permit of its sliding adjustment toward or from the work. Upon this frame the plate 11 may be held fixed during the cutting operation, or given a swinging movement lengthwise the channel groove at will. In the illustrated form of machine the oscillatory support 14 consists of a plate circular in form and supported at the active or cutting side of the truck. The intermedia-te support is guided for sliding movement along said frame 14; by means of the overlying gibs 15 which extend across the said plate and are bolted thereto (Figs. 1, 2 and 4L). These gibs overlie finished webs 16 on the standard, and abut against raised shouldered portions 17 on the plate, so that the standard is kept in secure alinement at all times, being adjustable toward or from the work by devices which will be later described.

Means are preferably provided so that the standard, while capable of being fed toward or from the work, when desired may be clamped rigidly to the plate. ForV this purpose I have provided clamping means,

herein consisting of four clamps 18 which may be applied to or released from the standard at will. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, each clamp is in the form of a lever arm, provided with a foot 19 resting against the face of the plate, the opposite end of the clamp 'entering a notch in the underlying gib 15 and capable of being pressed or clamped against the webs 16 on the standard by means of the clamping nuts 2O threaded on the ends of the studs 21, which latternre fixed in the raised portions 17 of the plate. Preferably there is provided means such as the spring` 22 surrounding the studs between the plate and the clamping lever and tending normally to throw the clamping lever out and relieve the standard so that when the clamps are not intentionally applied by screwingdown the nuts the standard is free for feeding adjustment.

To provide for the swinging movement of the standard and the tool controlling` devices lengthwise the channel groove when the machine is employed for corner cutting, the plate 14C is mounted to swing through any desired arc on the main supporting frame 23, which latter is mounted at the side of the machine represented in Fig. 5.

The plate 14 (see F ig. 4t) has the centrally formed trunnion 24 journaled in a bearing block 25, the latter bolted to the frame 23. The trunnion has a tapered seat in the said bearing, and removable shims 26 are pref erably employed between the bearing block and the main frame, so that the vplate may be adjustable in its bearing, the plate being held in position by means of the cap 2f which is fastened to the trunnion by means of the bolt 2S and prevented from turning thereon by the pin 29.

For Lngle cuttingl the main frame 23 is adjustable about an axis lengthwise the channel groove, and is provided, for this purpose (Fig. et), at its back with split brackets 30, by which it may be iixedly or adjustably clamped to the trunnion shaft 31, the latter fixedly held atits ends in the carriage frame 1 by the cap pieces 32.

The supporting frame 23 is held during cutting at any desired inclination by means of the inclined brace rods 33, which latter have a swivel connection each at its upper end to a lug 3-1 on the back of the main frame 23 and at its lower end is connected to a sleeved bracket 35 adjustably bolted to a seat upon the main frame 1.V The lower end of the threaded brace rod passes entirely through the sleeve of the bracket and is secured thereto by means of check nuts 36, so that its length may be adjusted to'permit the desired inclinationV of the supporting frame.

For swinging the cutter head during corner cutting, the circumferential edge walls of the oscillating plate are shouldered to overlie the circumferential edgeV of the main support and the overlying part of the plate is provided with gibs 37, the latter overlying the back edge of the sup-porting frame, so that the plate may be turned through any angle upon the frame while held securely guided and alinod thereby. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the swinging plate is turned through the direct engagement of a driving member Awith the circumferential edge thereof, such driving member in the present case consisting of a flexible cable chain 38 passing over and about the uppermost half of the plate. The fianged edge of the latter is preferably `grooved and toothed (see Fig. 4) to receive the cable chain, so that the plate constitutes in effect a large sprocket wheel.

At each side of the plate the driving chain 3S passes down and about the guiding sprocket wheel 39 journaled upon the trunnio-n shaft 31, thence up and over the intermediate idle sprocket wheel 40 journaled at each end of the carriage 1 and thence to the somewhat inclined sprocket wheel l11 the latter journaled upon a bracket 42 clamped one at each rear corner of the machine. From the guiding sprocket wheels el the chain passes downward at the rear of the machine and to the under side of the two toothed driving sprocket wheels 43, the latter carried by and fxedly secured to the end of the driving axles 2.

Each of the driving` sprockets, as shown in Fig. 4, is mounted to turn freely upon a reduced end of the axle, but is provided with a cone shaped friction portion 44 adapted to engage the correspondingly shaped walls of the adjacent truck wheel 3. 0n the end of the axle there is keyed a cone shaped washer 45, adapted to seat in the outer face of the sprocket wheel, and there is also provided the clamping nut 4G by means of which the sprocket wheel may be forced into frictional engagement with the truck wheel, this serving to clamp the sprocket wheel to the axle or free the same thereon, so as operatively to connect or disconnect the driving chain 38 to the driving axles. Between the driving sprocket wheels 43 there is an intermediate guiding sprocket wheel 47, over which the chain passes, so that the latter is held in good contact with the under side of the driving sprocket wheels 43. During the cutting of the corner the truck wheels are raised up free from contact with the rails and, the chain being caused to move alternately in opposite directions by means of the driving sprocket wheels 43, the tool is swung through the arc of a circle.

Suitable means may be employed for tightening or loosening the driving chain, the same being herein provided for by changing the position of one or more of the idler or guiding sprocket wheels, such for example as the sprocket wheels 40, which for 'this purpose are adjustably clamped in an elongated slot 48 in the frame by means of the clamping stud 49.

Obviously other means for swinging the tool may be employed, if desired, the selected form of apparatus being herein shown for the purposes of illustration.

Any suitable means may be employed for imparting driving movement to the axles, but herein I have shown a fluid pressure engine 50 provided with the cylinder 51 and connected to turn the transverse driving shaft 52. The latter carries at its end the beveled pinion 53 (Fig. 4)- which imparts equal but opposite rotation to the two bev-l eled gears 54 and 55. These may be separately clutched to or unclutched from the clutch shaft 56 by the sliding movement of the double clutch members .57-57. The movement of the latter is effected through the pair of yoke shaped arms 58 each embracing a. circumferential groove upon its corresponding clutch member 57 and being pinned or otherwise secured to the reversing slide rod 59, which is mounted on brackets upon the carriage frame for sliding movement parallel with the clutch shaft 56. In

one position the rod clutches the gear 54 to the clutch shaft to turn the latter in one direction, but when shifted in the opposite direction it clutches the gear 55 to the said shaft to turn thel latter in the opposite direction.

Vhen making the ordinary channel cut7 the carriage is traversed with the tool actuating devices held at a fixed inclination to the quarry bottom, the necessary traversing movement being given to the carriage through the clutch shaft 56. For this purpose, the latter carries at each end a worm G0, the latter (Fig. meshing with an underlying worm gear Gl keyed or otherwise secured to the carriage axle 2. rlhe carriage therefore may be moved under its own power in either direction according to the position of the clutch 57.

During corner cutting the carriage is held stationary with the truck wheels lifted free from the rails and movement is transmitted through the driving chain to-oscillate the swinging plate.

Any suitable means for holding the carriage fixed may be employed, but herein there is provided at each front corner of the frame a. bracket 62, hai/'ing a depending portion provided with inturned gripping fingers 63 adapted to underlie the lia-nges on the rails. The depending portion is threaded for engagement with the lower portion of a jack or binding screw 64, the latter having an upper portion 65 adapted to be gripped between the bracket and the truck frame when the clamp screw 66 is tightened, the upper portion of 'the bracket as seen in Fig. l comprising half only of the socket for the screw. The rear corners of the machine also are provided with similar depending gripping fingers 68 and binding screws 64, these being carried by the brackets 42. The bracket is split where it receives the upper portion 65 of the screw and the clamping bolt 67 is provided for clamping the same about the screw. During the travel of the carriage the screws being withdrawn out of contact with the rails the truck rests upon its wheels and the gripping Vlingers lie below the rail flanges. During corner cutting the screws are turned down to engage the rails, lifting the wheels free from the tracks and causing the gripping lingers 63 to grip the rail flanges and hold the machine fast to the rails against displacement thereon.

During corner cutting the engine 50 operates to swing the supporting plate and the tool through the arc of a circle simultaneously with the rapid percussiife action of the tool. When the swinging movement has advanced far enough in one direction the re verse rod 59 may be shifted and the swing ing movement reversed. `While automatic means may be provided for such purpose, herein the rod is shifted by means of the upright hand lever 68 (Figs. l and 5) pivoted at 65) upon the frame. Jointed to the hand lever above its pivotal attachment is the forked end of the rod 70, the opposite end of which is jointed to an upright yoke 71, the latter forming part of a sleeve 7 2 pinned or otherwise secured to the reversing rodso that movement of the hand lever shifts the latter.

Referring now again to the feeding adjustment for feeding the standard and the engine toward or away from the work, feeding devices are preferably employed whereby both the standard and the engine frame may be adjusted together or independently as desired.

For the purpose of feeding the engine there is provided the usual feed screw 73,

passing through the arched portion 74 of the standard and suitably held therein against longitudinal movement while free to be turned by a ratchet lever 75 of usual form, or by any other desired means. The lower end of the feed screw has threaded engagement with a nut formed in a lug 7 G on the engine casting, so that the turning of the screw is adapted to adjustably feed the engine and cutting tools toward or from the work.

For adjustingthe standard any suitable means may be employed; herein I have shown pressure fluid actuated feeding means, so that by the manipulation of acontrolling valve the standard may be raised or lowered or placed at any intermediate position. To this end there is provided a feeding cylinder 77 and its coperating piston 78, the former fixedly clamped at its lower end (see Fig. 5) to a split bracket 79 carried by the swinging plate 14. v rIhe piston 7 8 is secured to the piston rod 80, the latter at its upper end having a fixed connection (Fig. l) to the arched piece 74 of the standard. By the variation of pressure above and below the piston in the feeding cylinder 77 the standard with its attached parts may be raised or lowered to any desired position on the swinging plate.

AFluid supply pipes S1 and 82 connect the upper and lower ends respectively of the feed cylinder with a common form of threeway valve 83, which latter also has connection with the atmosphere and with the supply pipe Sel, the latter leading from any suitable source of supply (not shown) through the center of the trunnion 24 on which the swinging plate 14 oscillates. By turning the valve S3, which is conveniently located at the front of the machine, the operator may open one end of the feed cylinder more or less to the pressure fluid and the opposite end to the exhaust, the extent of standard movement resulting therefrom being readily controllable,

After the standard is positioned by the feeding means described it may be fixedly clamped to the frame by the clamps-1S. The auxiliary adjustment of the'standard is of advantage particularly in angle cutting, where the standard or support is arranged at an inclination. It also affords a means of quickly lifting the tools out of the cut or inserting` the same therein. In corner cutting or angle cutting where the tools are caused to reach out it permits the standard to be ,advanced to bring its lower edge closely adjacent to the work, thereby increasing the range of tool feed attainable through the feed screw and rendering the cutting action of the tool more efficient by stiffening and increasing its guidance close to the work.

In practice the cut would ordinarily be started with the piston in its upper position in the cylinder. The tools would then be fed by the screw during operation of the machine to the extreme forward limits of the screw feed after which they would be retracted. The standard could then be unclamped and the piston quickly advanced by pressure fluid after which the standard would be again clamped in its advanced position and the screw feed again resumed.

In the action of the machine as a corner cutter the tool gang is swung through the arc of a circle to a point where it is inclined V forwardly under the overhangmg side wall of the quarry and then swung back again. As the heavy tools are swung-up through this angle the requisite lifting effort constantly increases, reaching its maximum at t'he end of the swing in the uppermost position of the tool. When the movement reverses, the engine is instantly relieved of all load and tends to race.

As the cut deepens, too, and the arc along which the tool swings lengthens, the linear velocity of the tool in swingingV along the arc tends to increase. Since it is desirable to have the tools cut uniformly along the arc of a circle, and to that end to have the linear velocity of the tool kept the same at all angles irrespective of the widely varying load imposed upon the engine, and also as the cut deepens and the arc lengthens, means are preferably provided for governing the speed of the engine to maintain the same constant for each oscillation irrespective of the load, and for reducing the speed on successive oscillations to keep the same swinging velocity at the tool. Such means herein also provide for advantageously regulating the speed of the truck during its travel, so that when alternate hard and soft layers of stone are encountered the advance of the cutting appliances with the truck may be regulated in accordance therewith.

To this end I have provided an automatic governing device for governing the speed of the engine to hold the same constant, means being also provided for controlling the governor so that the speed may be gradually reduced as the cut deepens. Such device may be automatically controlled but as the deepening of the cut or the travel of the truck is comparatively slow manual regulation is ordinarily sufficient, and such is herein shown.

Referring to Figs. f3 to 9, inclusive, it will be seen that the engine is provided with pressure fluid from a steam pipe 85, communication with which is had from a main supply pipe 86 through a valve chamber 87 and the controlling throttle valve 88. The throttle valve, which admits more or less pressure liuid to the engine, is controlled as to its position by an ordinary form of centrifugal governor, the same herein having the slide rod 89 which has one end connected to the valve and the other to a sliding collar 90. The latter may be raised more or less by the separation or contraction of the weighted but spring-connected arms 91 jointed thereto. rlhe arms are pivoted to the sleeve 92 and the speed of rotation of the latter determines the separation of the arms and the position of the valve. The sleeve is driven by the beveled gear 93, meshing with the gear 94, the latter mounted on the short countershaft 95. The said countershaft is journaled in the fixed bearing 96 mounted on the plate 97, and is also provided with two bearing posts 98, the latter carried by a slide 99, having between them the friction roller 100. The friction roller is splined to the shaft so that as the slide, together with the two posts, is shifted the friction roller may be shifted lengthwise the shaft. The friction roller engages with the cone-shaped surface 101 of the flywheel 102, the latter keyed to and driven by the engine driving shaft 52 so that as the friction roller is shifted as to its position the speed of the countershaft and the position of the throttle valve are likewise varied.

Any suitable means may be employed for moving the friction roller to vary the governor speed but herein there is provided the swinging arm 103, the end 104e of which is adapted to work between the bearing posts 98 and move the slide. The arm 103 is connected to a sleeve 105, the latter having a handle 106 mounted to turn upon a fixed post 107. To the post is also secured the toothed segment 108, the teeth of which may be engaged by a spring-pressed positioning-pin 109 carried by the handle, so

Ithat the handle and therefore the roller may be adjustably positioned in any one of a series of graduated locations. Preferably, though not necessarily, the teeth of the segment are arranged to provide a notch for each cut so that the operator, on the completion of one swinging out, by setting the handle ahead one notch, will secure speed conditions suitable for the increased depth of the next cut.

When the initial cut is made the friction roller is adjusted to its extreme inner position on the flywheel, thereby driving the governor weights at the minimum speed or in their contracted relation, and raising and opening the throttle valve to the widest extent. As the cut deepens step by step the controlling handle 106 is moved to increase the governor speed and insure a greater separation of the governor weights and a greater closure of the throttle valve, thereby reducing the engine speed so that on the longer arcs the velocit-y of the tool during its linear swinging movement will remain constant.

Obviously, the governor regulator may be employed in the same manner to control the speed of the truck when the channeler is used for cutting the ordinary channel groove, and vary the same according to the character of the stone.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, lhave there shown specifically the particular means eniployed for clamping` the tool gang to the cross head. As there shown the tools are placedv with their inner fiat faces against a wall portion 110 of the cross head, and the latter is notched or cut away to receive one or more (herein three) clamping plates 111. These overlie the tools and are clamped against the same, to hold them fast, by means of clamping bolts, one set of which 112 act merely to clamp the plates against the tools, and the other set 113 act also to wedge them endwise and take up any lateral play. To this end each of the bolts 113 is formed with a wedge-shaped shank 114, the inclined side of which engages an inclined wall 115 of thecross head so that when the bolt is tightened the opposite side thereof is fixed against the tools and wedges them against a shouldered portion 116 of the cross head.

While l have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention for illustrative purposes, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited te the details herein shown but that extensive departures may be made therefrom without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

Claims- 1. A channeling machine having a wheeled truck, cutting appliances, a swinging support upon which said cutting appliances are mounted, a driving member for imparting swinging movement thereto, said driving member being mounted adjacent one of the truck wheels, and cone-shaped friction means for securing said driving member to a truck wheel or releasing the same at will.

2. In a channeling machine the combination with a wheeled truck of cutting appliances thereon, a motor for driving the truck, governing means for maintaining the speed of the motor constant, and means for controlling the action of the governing means during the action of the machine to adapt the travel of the truck to the character of the work.

3. In a channeling machine the combination with a tool and tool actuating means, of a motor, connections between the motor and the tool for swinging ,the latter lengthwise the channel groove, governing means for maintaining the speed of the motor constant, and means for controlling the action of the governing means to vary the velocity of the tool in its swinging movement.

4f. In a corner cutter the combination with cutting appliances of a swinging support on which the same are secured, motive means connected to swing the said support, and controlling means for controlling the speed of swinging movement, said controlling means being adapted to be set to any one of a plurality of graded positions to secure different speeds.

5. In a channeler the combination with cutting appliances of a swinging support for the same, a motor connected to swing said support, a speed governor therefor, and controlling means to adjust said governor to anyone of a plurality of speeds.

6. A corner cutter having a support, means for fixing the samev adjacent the overhanging` side of a quarry, cutting appliances, means for swinging the same lengthwise the plane of cut, means for adjustably feeding the same toward or from the work,

an intermediate support and pressure fluid means for adjusting the intermediate support toward or from the work.

7. A corner critter having a support, means for lining the same adjacent the overhanging side of aguari'y, cutting appliances, means for swinging the same lengthwise the plane of cut, an intermediate support. and means including pressure Huid feeding means both for adjustably feeding the cutting appliances on the intermediate support and for adjusting the intermediate support toward or from the work.

8. In a channeling machine, the combination with a support, of cutting appliances thereon, an intermediate support for said cutting appliances, guideways upon said support for guiding the movement of said intermediate support toward or from the work, pressure fluid means for moving said intermediate support upon the guideways and clamping means adapted to be applied to or withdrawn from said intermediate support for` holding the latter in fixed position. 1 Y

9. In a channeling machine, the combination with a support, of cutting appliances thereon, an intermediate support for said cutting appliances,V guideways upon said support for guiding the movement of said intermediate support toward or from the work, feeding means for feeding the intermediate support on said guideways and clamping means adapted to be applied to or withdrawn from said intermediate support for holding the latter in fixed position.

l0. In a. channeling machine, the combination with a support of cutting appliances thereon, an intermediate support for said cutting appliances, guideways upon said support for guiding the movement of said intermediate support toward or from the work, clamping means to be applied to or withdrawn from said intermediate support for holding the latter in fixed position, and means for swinging the cutting appliances lengthwise the plane of the cut.

ll. In a channeling machine, the combination with a wheel truclrof cutting appliances thereon, a motor for driving thev said support, a speed governorV therefor driven from the motor, a variable speed mechanism between the governor and the motor and mea-ns for controlling said mechanism to vary the action ofthe governor.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY Il. NIERCER.

Witnesses: 'Y Y E. A. TRACY, J. A. BRUCE.

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

